To work or not to work...any suggestion?

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Comments

  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #22
    My penny
    I say don't work at a job, work at being stress-free, and taking care of yourself in the best way possible...by owning and enjoying your life.
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #23
    Funny thing
    I am stage 4 currently 2 years NED, I applied for SSD when I became stage 4, got it, completed my chemo, and a few months later I was back to work full time, did my 9 month work trial period you get when on SSD, then started calling them in APril to tell them I was back to work full time, and didnt need the SSD, it continued, called again in June, it continued, called again in Aug, and it still continues, they said I would be reevaluated and then they would decide. Wendy (my partner) said she read somewhere that being stage 4 meant I would receive it regardless if I worked or not, I am a bit leary about it, but I keep calling and telling them to stop, and if they come back on me and what it back, I will say hell no, or file bankruptcy.

    But my point is, when you get SSD, you are still allowed to work some and make money, so I would say go for it if you feel you need it.

    Good Luck....If I could afford to live off of just SSD I would, but I have 9 yrs to go to retire and I am praying I make it.

    HUGS
    Beth
  • momentum7894
    momentum7894 Member Posts: 2 Member
    #24

    I'm struggling with the idea of leaving work. I have stage 4 kidney cancer, had radiation on my #3lumbar (cancer ate through it), so I had some "hardware" put in place around my lower spine to support my L3, which makes it hard to stand upright. They took out 1 kidney a few months later. I still have a mass in a lymph node that they are watching with each scan that I have done. On Chemo pill daily and Immunotherapy every 2 weeks. I have continued to work in between surgeries, but not always feeling good, which I know all of you understand. My work is not strenuous ( I work in a food lab), but getting up most mornings and feeling well enough to get ready and go to work has been more difficult as time passes. My legs both hurt, especially my left. I've been told this hurting and heaviness is due to nerve damage in my spine when cancer ate through it, so never going away. Work has been a good thing for me to help not think about my health problems, but I have been studying up on the different disabilities (STD, LTD, SSD) to see how I could afford to NOT work. So far, I haven't been able to figure out if that will work for me. I don't have any savings anymore, due to unfortunate circumstances during my lifetime, and cancer bills not covered by my insurance. STD will pay me 60% of my current salary, but how do I make up the 40 that I won't get, since I don't have any real savings to fall back on? I'm starting to think that my funeral one day will be my last day at work. Does anyone out there have any tips or can recommend some financial counseling on disability that is free?

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